View Full Version : The Oscars: Crash? WTF?
leekohler
Mar 5, 2006, 11:32 PM
That was one of the worst films I saw this year. Heavy-handed, spoon-fed moralism! I wanted anything else to win!
e˛Studios
Mar 5, 2006, 11:36 PM
That was one of the worst films I saw this year. Heavy-handed, spoon-fed moralism! I wanted anything else to win!
It was the better of the evils in my opinion. I had initially thought Brokeback would sweep all just based on the hype that it received. Both movies were pretty lackluster.
Hollywood is in a slump, hopefully they will recover and get back to the business of entertaining people
Ed
cycocelica
Mar 5, 2006, 11:36 PM
Wow, I loved that movie. It was a great movie. I am just glad Brokeback Mountain didn't win.
leekohler
Mar 5, 2006, 11:38 PM
Wow, I loved that movie. It was a great movie. I am just glad Brokeback Mountain didn't win.
I didn't like Brokeback either. Why did you want to see it fail? Too much of a shoo-in?
2nyRiggz
Mar 5, 2006, 11:39 PM
I'm glad they won the movie was cool......Its hard out there for a pimp!? what the hell! now i'm never gonna get that out of my head.
Bless
leekohler
Mar 5, 2006, 11:41 PM
I'm glad they won the movie was cool......Its hard out there for a pimp!? what the hell! now i'm never gonna get that out of my head.
Bless
Ha-ha! :) But seriously, Crash was the only film I ropped out of my DVD player and wanted to destroy. Contrived, messagy garbage.
MacNut
Mar 5, 2006, 11:44 PM
What movie did you want too see win then? It was either that or Good Luck for me.
leekohler
Mar 5, 2006, 11:45 PM
What movie did you want too see win then? It was either that or Good Luck for me.
Yes- that or Capote.
2nyRiggz
Mar 5, 2006, 11:50 PM
Oscar and most the movies suck this year..it wasn't like last year when good movies were piling it in.....Hard out there for a pimp!!!(gezzz:rolleyes: )
Bless
cycocelica
Mar 5, 2006, 11:50 PM
I didn't like Brokeback either. Why did you want to see it fail? Too much of a shoo-in?
Way to over hyped. Oh a film about gays, so controversial. :rolleyes: I would have rather seen Good Night and Good Luck win.
nightdweller25
Mar 5, 2006, 11:51 PM
Wow, I loved that movie. It was a great movie. I am just glad Brokeback Mountain didn't win.
Same here.
cycocelica
Mar 5, 2006, 11:52 PM
All that matters is that Three 6 Mafia won an Oscar.
pinto32
Mar 5, 2006, 11:53 PM
I never thought Crash would actually win, but I think it is deserved. There are so few movies that actually make people think. After seeing Crash, I had an hour-long discussion with my girlfriend, and have had numerous since with classmates and others. That is true power of a media: when you carry it with you even when you are not immediately experiancing it. It can be said that Brokeback and Good Night have done the same, but too few have seen Good Night and Brokeback's message is lost amist the gay cowboy jokes. Anyway, any movie that has Brendan Frasier playing a serious role and not sucking automatically wins best everything, based purely on that achivement alone.
leekohler
Mar 5, 2006, 11:56 PM
Way to over hyped. Oh a film about gays, so controversial. :rolleyes: I would have rather seen Good Night and Good Luck win.
True- Brokeback was way over-hyped. I didn't care for it- and I'm gay! But Crash- ugh! Dreadful.
I never thought Crash would actually win, but I think it is deserved. There are so few movies that actually make people think.
Crash TOLD you what to think. It didn't make you think.
dornoforpyros
Mar 5, 2006, 11:57 PM
This is why I never watch movies anymore. Even the "great" ones are usually un-watchable crap (spiderman anyone?)
scem0
Mar 6, 2006, 12:03 AM
The message was overstated for sure. I'd agree that it was spoon fed. I didn't think it was very controversial though, I think racism to that extreme is very looked down upon by most everyone. So, I guess I thought the message wasn't very necessary.
I didn't see the other films other than Brokeback mountain, which I, too, was not impressed with. So, I'm not in a position to say which movie should have won.
e
jelloshotsrule
Mar 6, 2006, 12:03 AM
wow, some people get excited....
good night and good luck put me to sleep. capote was decent. i liked crash.
didn't see the other two. at least munich didn't win just cause it's spielberg.
leekohler
Mar 6, 2006, 12:05 AM
I didn't see the other films other than Brokeback mountain, which I, too, was not impressed with.
e
I knew that when we saw it in NYC and you fell asleep on my shoulder! :D
scem0
Mar 6, 2006, 12:07 AM
:o So I did. :)
e
angelneo
Mar 6, 2006, 12:24 AM
I think Crash was pretty good. Though I think there is too much hype surrounding Brokeback turning people off and might have also caused it it's oscar win.
Counterfit
Mar 6, 2006, 12:26 AM
Way to over hyped. Oh a film about gays, so controversial. :rolleyes: I would have rather seen Good Night and Good Luck win.
Someone wrote an article for my school's newspaper (which is usually crap anyway, but I'll save that for another thread) going on and on about how Brokeback was "beautiful" because it was about two grown men "breaking the norms of the day" and something about "taboo" stuff. I mean, it's not like that's ever been done in a movie before. Of course, I'm sure she was in love with the movie because she got to see Heath Ledger swapping spit with Jake Gyllenhall. I bet's she's a fan of this (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yaoi)
The term is an acronym derived from the Japanese phrase yama nashi, ochi nashi, imi nashi, meaning "no climax, no punch line, no meaning."
Now, I haven't seen Brokeback Mountain, so someone else will have to tell me whether there is a climax or not. Now, whether I mean in the plot or otherwise is up to you ;)
Macaddicttt
Mar 6, 2006, 12:36 AM
Crash TOLD you what to think. It didn't make you think.
I disagree. I thought Crash was very good and presented a lot of the problems associated with racism today. I didn't come away from that movie feeling like I'd been preached to. I'm curious as to what you think Crash told us to think because it didn't seem moralistic to me at all, merely showing perspectives on a very real and important problem.
Doctor Q
Mar 6, 2006, 01:01 AM
Crash was interesting and well acted, but the plot was contrived, requiring multiple coincidences, and painted its story in such broad strokes that you learned about no character in enough depth.
And there were little direction mistakes, like having Graham (Don Cheadle's character) and one other character wear neck scarves. Easterners may wear them, but nobody does in Los Angeles. It was filmed here in Los Angeles (I recognized some local intersections) but the dialog wasn't L.A.-speak.
scem0
Mar 6, 2006, 01:01 AM
I disagree. I thought Crash was very good and presented a lot of the problems associated with racism today. I didn't come away from that movie feeling like I'd been preached to. I'm curious as to what you think Crash told us to think because it didn't seem moralistic to me at all, merely showing perspectives on a very real and important problem.
In my opinion, it told us to treat everyone fairly. It told us to not judge people based on their skin color, if they're tattoed, etc. I think that message was pretty clear.
e
leekohler
Mar 6, 2006, 01:08 AM
In my opinion, it told us to treat everyone fairly. It told us to not judge people based on their skin color, if they're tattoed, etc. I think that message was pretty clear.
e
Exactly, It was "don't hate each other, that's bad." Very direct and very clear. TOO clear. Some nuance would have been welcome. And the overly-dramatic musical interludes were just awful.
angelneo
Mar 6, 2006, 01:16 AM
Even though I think Crash was a pretty good movie. I think tonight Best Picture win was mostly due the Academy trying to be politically correct. Artistically speaking, i think Brokeback would be a better candidate, I think
Macaddicttt
Mar 6, 2006, 01:41 AM
Exactly, It was "don't hate each other, that's bad." Very direct and very clear. TOO clear. Some nuance would have been welcome. And the overly-dramatic musical interludes were just awful.
Isn't "don't hate each other" generally accepted in society? I mean, there are still racists who think hating is good, but I doubt you'll find many people, whether they be racist or not, who think hating is a good thing. The movie wasn't trying to make you think that hating other races was bad, it was making you think about how huge a problem it is, that the answer isn't just "don't hate anyone." Take for example Matt Dillon's character. At times you want to hate him for being racist, but at others you can understand the way he thinks.
The movie raises questions about whether racial equality and the complete abolition of racism is possible and how one should go about it. Should you have affirmative action to help minorities, since as we saw, it hurts some poor whites? Do you make political decisions based on race so as to appear balanced? There were a lot more questions in that movie than answers. The thing you think the movie was preaching was the base of the movie, not the end goal.
Sayhey
Mar 6, 2006, 02:39 AM
I've seen all of the nominated movies but Capote and I thought this year was a particularly strong year for great movies. I wouldn't have argued if any of the four nominated movies I saw had won.
Crash is one of the only movies I've seen come out of Hollywood to deal honestly with racism. Each character was a fully drawn complex person, not some silly caricature. This wasn't some smarmy feel good movie with the racist bad guys being defeated by the perfect good guys. It challenged the viewer and it did so with intelligence and insight. If you didn't come out of that movie reevaluating how we all treat each other based on our perceived differences - you missed the whole point. Great, Great movie!
Brokeback Mountain could easily have won and deserved it if it did. How many people are talking about this movie who don't even have the nerve to be seen going to it? It shakes people up! Well, good. It too challenges movie goers to reevaluate the nature of love. If you go into this movie and, again, expected the characters to be perfect human beings then you are looking for fantasy not real life. In the time and place the main characters are living through they cannot live a life where they can openly express their love because of the very real fear for their lives. What that does to a person and to the people that are effected by their hidden lives is something that should challenge people to look beyond the jokes of just a "gay cowboy" movie. If you haven't seen this movie, do your self a favor and go see it soon. It's the grown up thing to do.
Munich is a movie that challenges the viewer to go beyond the stereotypes of good guys and terrorists and asks the needed question what happens to the "good guys" when they resort to terrorism themselves? Makes you uncomfortable? It damn well should. It's Speilberg at his highest level - right up there with Saving Private Ryan and Schindler's List.
Good Night, and Good Luck is the most purely one sided movie of the lot. There is no doubt Murrow is the good guy and McCarthy is the bad guy. Something I admit I totally agree with, but the real challenge of this movie is to ask the viewer through the story of Murrow's principled stance against the McCarthyism if they would do the same. Highly topical in this day and age.
All the above are beautiful, well-crafted, wonderfully-acted movies that make you think. If you're looking for the Sound of Music you're just being lazy. I've nothing against well done fluff, but I also like a little substance in my movies and this year we got it in spades.
psycho bob
Mar 6, 2006, 03:32 AM
I've seen all of the nominated movies but Capote and I thought this year was a particularly strong year for great movies. I wouldn't have argued if any of the four nominated movies I saw had won...
Munich is a movie that challenges the viewer to go beyond the stereotypes of good guys and terrorists and asks the needed question what happens to the "good guys" when they resort to terrorism themselves? Makes you uncomfortable? It damn well should. It's Speilberg at his highest level - right up there with Saving Private Ryan and Schindler's List.
I have to agree with everything you've said. Personally I felt Munich was the most honest film of the lot and for the serious viewer also the most touching and revealing. I feel that it was just too politcal for the people of influence to back when it came to awards and that I find very sad. Both Crash and Brokeback Mountain did challenge percieved racism and attitudes towards sexual orientation but to my mind both were very Hollywood and whilst being good films are not classics.
Given a few years I feel Munich will standout as the film with the most powerful message and in general a superb piece of film making.
As a Brit it was great to see Rachael and Wallace and Grommit get rewarded in their respective catagories as well.
Abstract
Mar 6, 2006, 05:02 AM
Its funny because after reading the 1st page of this thread, you'd think that lots of people hated Brokeback and Crash, but really, only like 5 people posted in that first page. :p
I didn't see any of the nominated movies this year, except Wallace and Gromit, where I saw half of it before switching it off on the airplane. :cool:
Lyle
Mar 6, 2006, 08:07 AM
I changed channels shortly after George Clooney won his best supporting actor award and gave the speech where he reminded America how lucky we are to have "out of touch" guys like him around. Don't break your arm patting yourself on the back there, George. :rolleyes:
I really wanted Jon Stewart to do well, but what I did see of his presentation was just painful to watch. Did he get any more comfortable as the show went on? It's been awhile since I've seen flop sweat like that.
freeny
Mar 6, 2006, 09:35 AM
Was really rooting for my buddy Terrance Howard for best actor (went to college with him) but of course Mr Hoffman won being the favorite. Oh well, Hustle and flow was "Indie" and Capote was "mainstream" and this was expected. I also havent seen Capote so I cant really make the comparison. Terrance did however have a significant role in Crash and seems to be very proud of being involved in the "Best Picture" project (haven't seen this either).
Congrats Terrance and keep up the good work! Your day will come, your tallent deserves it.
BoyBach
Mar 6, 2006, 09:36 AM
I enjoyed Crash, but the best films of last year weren't even nominated. 'A History of Violence' & 'Wallace and Gromit' should have shared the award :p
Doctor Q
Mar 6, 2006, 11:30 AM
I really wanted Jon Stewart to do well, but what I did see of his presentation was just painful to watch. Did he get any more comfortable as the show went on? It's been awhile since I've seen flop sweat like that.He did OK. I think what was hard for him was that the audience at the Oscars isn't used to an understated approach. They are used to humor given with a large grin, while Stewart has a wry intellectual style that's not as silly. More Steven Wright than Robin Williams. Even with the same types of jokes we hear every year, it took a bit more to make the audience laugh.
aloofman
Mar 6, 2006, 11:58 AM
It just so happens that I rented Crash on Saturday, so it's fresh in my mind.
The Good: The dialogue and editing were both excellent. (I was surprised when those were the two categories it won because the Oscars almost never gibe with my impressions.) It did a very good job of tying the different threads together without being confusing. I really liked how the dialogue was filled with context and didn't try to do too much. There's a shot where Phillippe has a stunned look on his face after shooting someone, and he realizes how it will look, without saying anything out loud. Notice I said the dialogue and not the script.
Some of the scenes were very thought-provoking. I especially liked the D.A. wishing his carjackers hadn't been black because it makes him look bad. The sequences with characters arguing affirmative action were very genuine. I liked the bit about the two thugs getting annoyed that white people were afraid of them, just before they threaten to shoot someone. The black couple arguing about who was black and who was "black." And the running theme of people mistaking one another for the wrong race/ethnicity was well done.
The Bad: Much of the rest of the movie was contrived and heavy-handed. Glorious music to let you know that something poignant has happened. The Chinese immigrants thread was incredibly tacked-on. The coincidences that tied the plot together didn't work for me; it was more of a collection of racial prejudice stories than a movie. (Trying to avoid spoilers here.) The sequence where a man pulls a gun on a guy in his front yard was really amateurish. I thought Sandra Bullock's character was a lame stereotype, just tossed in to make sure we had a "rich white lady who's afraid of immigrants" in there. Didn't you know that a bigot can also be compassionate to his own family members? And what race-message film would be complete without a racist cop?
In summary, there were nuggets in there that I really liked. But it tries way too hard to be a message film, rather than presenting a story and letting you fill in most of the context. Million Dollar Baby was much better at this, for example.
Interestingly, I liked Good Night, and Good Luck better, even though it's also an in-your-face message film. It was very focused and had no showy montages or cheesy music. (Actually almost no music at all.) Maybe I've already seen too many movies about racial tension to really appreciate it anymore.
leekohler
Mar 6, 2006, 01:14 PM
It just so happens that I rented Crash on Saturday, so it's fresh in my mind.
The Good: The dialogue and editing were both excellent. (I was surprised when those were the two categories it won because the Oscars almost never gibe with my impressions.) It did a very good job of tying the different threads together without being confusing. I really liked how the dialogue was filled with context and didn't try to do too much. There's a shot where Phillippe has a stunned look on his face after shooting someone, and he realizes how it will look, without saying anything out loud. Notice I said the dialogue and not the script.
Some of the scenes were very thought-provoking. I especially liked the D.A. wishing his carjackers hadn't been black because it makes him look bad. The sequences with characters arguing affirmative action were very genuine. I liked the bit about the two thugs getting annoyed that white people were afraid of them, just before they threaten to shoot someone. The black couple arguing about who was black and who was "black." And the running theme of people mistaking one another for the wrong race/ethnicity was well done.
The Bad: Much of the rest of the movie was contrived and heavy-handed. Glorious music to let you know that something poignant has happened. The Chinese immigrants thread was incredibly tacked-on. The coincidences that tied the plot together didn't work for me; it was more of a collection of racial prejudice stories than a movie. (Trying to avoid spoilers here.) The sequence where a man pulls a gun on a guy in his front yard was really amateurish. I thought Sandra Bullock's character was a lame stereotype, just tossed in to make sure we had a "rich white lady who's afraid of immigrants" in there. Didn't you know that a bigot can also be compassionate to his own family members? And what race-message film would be complete without a racist cop?
In summary, there were nuggets in there that I really liked. But it tries way too hard to be a message film, rather than presenting a story and letting you fill in most of the context. Million Dollar Baby was much better at this, for example.
Interestingly, I liked Good Night, and Good Luck better, even though it's also an in-your-face message film. It was very focused and had no showy montages or cheesy music. (Actually almost no music at all.) Maybe I've already seen too many movies about racial tension to really appreciate it anymore.
I'll go with that assessment. I will say I did like the actors. But on the whole, not a film worthy of an Oscar.
yoda13
Mar 6, 2006, 01:36 PM
I wanted either Good Night and Good Luck to win, or Munich. Munich was one of the most thought provoking films I have seen in a while. I guess I didn't even know what was nominated for sure. I just expected Brokeback to win.:)
XNine
Mar 6, 2006, 02:17 PM
The thing I liked about Crash was that it wasn't afraid to say: HEY! MORONS! THIS IS WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE REAL WORLD." And it showed that not only white people are racists.
I agree some of it was a little spoonfed, but sometimes that has to happen in order to get the message across to people.
All in all, Walk The line should have won this award, but then again the idiots at the acededmy didn't even nominate it. *sigh*
scem0
Mar 6, 2006, 02:33 PM
The thing I liked about Crash was that it wasn't afraid to say: HEY! MORONS! THIS IS WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE REAL WORLD." And it showed that not only white people are racists.
I agree some of it was a little spoonfed, but sometimes that has to happen in order to get the message across to people.
That's what I think too. But having said that, I think it's ludicrous that a movie that only speaks to a small group of people that need to be spoonfed, its hard for me to believe it should have won best film.
As I said before, I didn't see all the films, only Crash and Brokeback, so I'm not fit to say what should or shouldn't have won, but going from the trailers and clips I saw, Capote looked like it should have beat Crash easily.
e
macartistkel
Mar 6, 2006, 02:43 PM
My problem with Crash was the fact its 2006 and I would expect more stories like that back in the 80's and 90's. Am I supposed to believe that people are that racist in today's society?? Especially at a television studio?? I think not. Give me a break--I stayed pissed off the entire movie because of how racist people were---HOWEVER it was NOT believable in this day and time here in America. Yes, there are ignorant people all over the United States, but there is NO WAY half that **** would fly (not even in the southern redneck town where I am from--not these days).
e-clipse
Mar 6, 2006, 03:33 PM
I watched Crash on campus with a multi-racial audience. Social science teachers actually picked out who they wanted to attend the event by offering extra credit. I thought the movie was well written and stuck with me hours afterwards. I do think the cop crap was overdone. I also think that the car jackers were a little too un-realistic. Overall, I thought the feeling the movie gave me, could reach others who stay racially divided. Nashville Tennessee still has plenty of racial walls to break down or climb over.:o
jelloshotsrule
Mar 6, 2006, 03:36 PM
My problem with Crash was the fact its 2006 and I would expect more stories like that back in the 80's and 90's. Am I supposed to believe that people are that racist in today's society?? Especially at a television studio?? I think not. Give me a break--I stayed pissed off the entire movie because of how racist people were---HOWEVER it was NOT believable in this day and time here in America. Yes, there are ignorant people all over the United States, but there is NO WAY half that **** would fly (not even in the southern redneck town where I am from--not these days).
i believe you need to get out more. go to a city where there are a variety of races. and tell me that racism is a thing of the past.
Sayhey
Mar 6, 2006, 03:38 PM
Sorry, macartistkel, if anything I think the movie understates the reality.
aloofman, I don't think Matt Dillon's portrayal can be reduced to the stereotype racist cop. The movie tried to not only show the prejudices that all its characters carried, but it also tried to show the roots of those prejudices. It treated each of the characters with respect. Respect not only for the real people who they represent, but also in the time given to develop each story so that the audience can respect them as flawed but real people. Now that is something different from Hollywood. I think any movie can be nitpicked to death, but this one is something brave and new in its attempt and skilled in its delivery. To each his own, I guess, but I loved this movie.
aloofman
Mar 6, 2006, 04:29 PM
aloofman, I don't think Matt Dillon's portrayal can be reduced to the stereotype racist cop. The movie tried to not only show the prejudices that all its characters carried, but it also tried to show the roots of those prejudices. It treated each of the characters with respect. Respect not only for the real people who they represent, but also in the time given to develop each story so that the audience can respect them as flawed but real people. Now that is something different from Hollywood. I think any movie can be nitpicked to death, but this one is something brave and new in its attempt and skilled in its delivery. To each his own, I guess, but I loved this movie.
I didn't have a problem with Matt Dillon's portrayal. My point was that the racist cop character has become a movie cliche. I didn't see anything brave or new about that character because so many other movies have done it. It was controversial when Colors came out, but it's a safe choice now.
It's not that there wasn't any skill in the movie because there obviously was. I just thought that its execution was heavy-handed in a lot of ways. So much effort was put into hammering home the message that I thought the storytelling suffered somewhat.
Among Best Picture winners I'd put it in the middle of the pack. It's still more worthy than Titanic or Shakespeare In Love.
raggedjimmi
Mar 6, 2006, 04:44 PM
I enjoyed Crash. I don't watch many films though. The only film I've seen mentioned on this page is Crash. Cinema is just too expensive in the UK, you americans have it easy and that. I'd rather spend my dosh elsewhere.
macartistkel
Mar 6, 2006, 05:11 PM
i believe you need to get out more. go to a city where there are a variety of races. and tell me that racism is a thing of the past.
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Well that is just pathetic if it is in fact the reality (I could barely watch the movie because I was like NO EFFING WAY could this happen to people---what the hell is wrong with people---actually its borderline calling someone a human being that actually thinks that their skin color puts them in a seperate class???? I still think it has to be the older generations who are so racist because most of them grew up in the time when there were seperate black and white schools. Absolutely NO EXCUSE to be able to use their BRAINS. I just don't get how ANYONE in their right mind would think that is normal??!! I am shocked.
aloofman
Mar 6, 2006, 05:17 PM
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Well that is just pathetic if it is in fact the reality (I could barely watch the movie because I was like NO EFFING WAY could this happen to people---what the hell is wrong with people---actually its borderline calling someone a human being that actually thinks that their skin color puts them in a seperate class???? I still think it has to be the older generations who are so racist because most of them grew up in the time when there were seperate black and white schools. Absolutely NO EXCUSE to be able to use their BRAINS. I just don't get how ANYONE in their right mind would think that is normal??!! I am shocked.
I think that you're relying more on your personal feelings on the issue than the facts about the world we live in.
Doctor Q
Mar 6, 2006, 05:20 PM
If the makers of Crash wanted to encourage people to discuss these issues, they have succeeded.
Sayhey
Mar 6, 2006, 05:20 PM
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Well that is just pathetic if it is in fact the reality (I could barely watch the movie because I was like NO EFFING WAY could this happen to people---what the hell is wrong with people---actually its borderline calling someone a human being that actually thinks that their skin color puts them in a seperate class???? I still think it has to be the older generations who are so racist because most of them grew up in the time when there were seperate black and white schools. Absolutely NO EXCUSE to be able to use their BRAINS. I just don't get how ANYONE in their right mind would think that is normal??!! I am shocked.
It's actually quite refreshing to see you think this way. We all should be shocked that such things are still possible, but unfortunately they very much are possible and happen all the time.
XNine
Mar 6, 2006, 05:24 PM
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Well that is just pathetic if it is in fact the reality (I could barely watch the movie because I was like NO EFFING WAY could this happen to people---what the hell is wrong with people---actually its borderline calling someone a human being that actually thinks that their skin color puts them in a seperate class???? I still think it has to be the older generations who are so racist because most of them grew up in the time when there were seperate black and white schools. Absolutely NO EXCUSE to be able to use their BRAINS. I just don't get how ANYONE in their right mind would think that is normal??!! I am shocked.
Note sure if you realize this, but being put in a seperate class simply because of the color of your skin has happened, since, oh, I don't know FOREVER. Does it make it right? No. Does it still happen every day? Yes.
I'm sorry, but everyone, whether they have admitted it or not, has had some kind of racist thought, or maybe even said something at some point, that has been racist. Even if you're not proud of it, or think it's wrong, it's happened.
Now, take that, and look at society, and really think if this is NOT possible. Let's take a small example: Jews and Palestinians. Or wait, are you saying this couldn't happen in America? Heh. Man. America has some of the most racist people around. Mayor's, Governers, *cough*presidents*cough*. Racism is a FACT. And yes, more than just whites use it.
aloofman
Mar 6, 2006, 06:01 PM
I'm sorry, but everyone, whether they have admitted it or not, has had some kind of racist thought, or maybe even said something at some point, that has been racist. Even if you're not proud of it, or think it's wrong, it's happened.
I remember enabling my car alarm once while a black guy was walking by. It wasn't because it was a black guy; I didn't even see him until I looked up immediately after I put the key fob in my pocket. But I did remember thinking, "Oh crap, does he think I did that because he's black?!" It's ridiculous to think that, of course. I'd be locking my car whether there was somebody walking nearby or not. But the fact that I even worried about it is telling. Very real prejudices show up in little ways every day, and if you're a minority, it happens so often you probably just have to shrug it off by now.
And yes, the incident I'm describing was shown in a Curb Your Enthusiasm episode a year or two later. And it was hilarious. Later in that same episode, Larry accidentally handed his keys to a black guy in a vest standing outside a restaurant, assuming he was the valet. Yet another cringe-worthy confrontation ensued.
iBlue
Mar 6, 2006, 06:36 PM
i really liked crash. <shrugs> (you guys are even more cynical than i am sometimes, that's impressive)
raggedjimmi
Mar 6, 2006, 06:37 PM
I'm sorry, but everyone, whether they have admitted it or not, has had some kind of racist thought, or maybe even said something at some point, that has been racist. Even if you're not proud of it, or think it's wrong, it's happened.
Yup. But I'm like that, there was a guy at college who accidentally blew his finger off with a pipebomb. Unfortunately I kept saying "BOOM!" when around him. unintentionally. I was with my ex-girlfriend (well, girlfriend at the time like) who was chinese. Once I made a reference that we were John and Yoko as a joke. I tried to bury it. but like a total idiot I dug myself deeper, and deeper. I'm glowing red just thinking about it :o
jelloshotsrule
Mar 6, 2006, 06:37 PM
Well that is just pathetic... SNIP... I am shocked.
like they say "if you're not angry, then you're not paying attention" (paraphrased).
Airforce
Mar 6, 2006, 06:39 PM
Wow, I loved that movie. It was a great movie. I am just glad Brokeback Mountain didn't win.
I liked the movie, too. I could care less about that Brokeback movie, but Crash was very interesting.
Nanda Devi
Mar 6, 2006, 09:46 PM
I agree that Crash was over the top... I've always felt that one of the essential components of a good film is subtlety, and there was absolutely nothing subtle about this film. As Leekholer stated, the messages were simply spoonfed to the audience.
In my opinion, the best film ever made about racism is Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing. Now, I realize that the final scene is anything but subtle, but what's great about it is that there is no resolution and the viewer is left unable to "take a side". Also, Spike's film has great humor and realism, which are another two things Crash was devoid of.
...all of this is just my opinion, of course. The only other Oscar nominee I saw was Capote, which I liked a lot, mainly for Hoffman's performance. I actually can't stand the Oscars in general, and don't feel a decent movie has won Best Picture in about 10 years.
ND
BakedBeans
Mar 7, 2006, 02:10 AM
I really liked Crash, sure I've seen better films but not many. I thought for a complex (in terms of characters) it was well put together.
The GF didnt like it.
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